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Thursday, December 1, 2016

Moutia Elzahed sent home

Hamdi Alqudsi

One of the wives of Isis recruiter Hamdi Alqudsi got a shock this week when her case was thrown out by the judge.

Moutia Elzahed, joined by her husband and two sons, launched a civil case for compensation over 'assault and battery, wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and intimidation' when her Sydney home was raided in September 2014.

But there was a problem. She refused to stand for the judge or remove her face covering. She would never reveal herself to any man who is not related by blood, she said.

Judge Audrey Balla went out of her way to accommodate her wishes and offered to close the court while she gave evidence, as well as offering another room for her to speak via video link. But both options were refused by her lawyer Clive Evatt because the male legal counsels would still be able to see her face.

So the judge sent her home. "It's not fair" she said.

Her husband, Hamdi Alqudsi is currently serving a minimum of six years jail for helping young Australians to travel to Syria to fight in the war where Australian soldiers are currently serving.